Bryan, was not realizing the power that I had at Walt Disney World.
At the time there were 2000 professional staffing people working for
the company, and instead of focusing on how I could climb over a mere
2000 people, I wanted to take on the world – that was so stupid and
naïve on the part of some "kid" from Dormont.
As I read this report about Marriott that last sentence sent a cold
chill through my body – because it was then that I realized I too was
with a company that influenced the world economy.
More importantly I was in the top ten percent of the professional
staffing which means only 200 people stood between me and the highest
rung on the ladder, and many of them that I knew (like Billy, and Dan)
were no match.
How I had the right guidance – which I'm trying to give to you now, I
would have had the confidence to "go for it" instead I felt I was
under educated, under qualified and just not a real "player".
30 years later I know different. Al Weiss became president of Walt
Disney World Resort and he and I were on the same marketing team for
six months and all he did was "go strictly by the book" if the meeting
started at 9:00am he was there at 8:45am, not like me who would show
up at 9:05 with a cup of coffee in my hand laughing about something
stupid, drawing attention to myself. Damn I regret that.
But like I recently heard Floyd Little say something on NFL Network.
When his name was announced as a Hall of Famer his father called him
and congratulated him, and he said it reminded him of the first time
he spoke to his dad after he made a NFL team.
He said my dad pulled me aside and said "son, I once had this dream,
but was unable to pull it off, but now you are living my dream, and
there is no one in the world that I would want to live my dream than
you, now go out there and make the Hall of Fame!
And he did!
So my advices as an aging old marketing guy that "was unable to pull
it off" – go as far as you can with Marriott and I promise you will
not believe how far you can go.
My baseball dream for you was to make the high school baseball team –
that's it, not to be all county second team, or play on the number one
ranked team in the country or go to NCAA College Baseball tournaments.
I just wanted you to be the kid that didn't get cut in high school. .
. like I did, just because I came in late, and didn't take it
seriously. I was better than every kid on the team, and got cut
because I wouldn't pay attention (or couldn't)
But you lived that dream and hundreds more. . . I guess that is why I
spent so much time with you – I was viciously living my dream, and now
I'm doing it again.
Don't back down from doing a good job – if it's tough to make it
happen; guess what that is why it is called work! Embrace it, accept
their challenge and make them understand that when the game is on the
line and we need a HUGE hit to get us a birth in the NCAA tournament,
don't think by bringing in the biggest player to face the smallest
player is going to stop the inevitable from happening. . .
I'll never forget sitting in the stands that day, and watching that
ball sail over the left fielders head. My life was going down the
tubes with your mom, I had sporadic income and really nothing to
motivate me but that one hit made me realize that my life had some
value because when the odds were totally stacked against you – you
shocked the world, but you didn't shock me – I expected it, because
that would have been my ultimate dream 45 years ago
I love you! Stay right where you are, and show them that being cocky
and confident are not the same things – but sometimes they come in the
same package!
per available room, a key measure of a hotelier's fiscal health, fell
13 percent to 14 percent in North America. In early December, the
company predicted a 13 percent to 16 percent decline.
Marriott's brands are some of the industry's best known. And the
chain's vast size — 3,300 properties in 68 countries — gives it a
large presence around the globe
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